


like a maze

by stardustandfantasies



Series: Expanded Kindergarten AU [3]
Category: Padz and Friends (Webcomic)
Genre: Expanded Kindergarten AU, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-06-24 09:08:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15627417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardustandfantasies/pseuds/stardustandfantasies
Summary: In which Tania told Papa about her first day in kindergarten.





	like a maze

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own PAF. Title is from John Mayer's song _Daughters_.

"—and then we had to draw a picture and describe it to introduce ourselves."

Tania had not stopped talking about her first day since Nico picked her up from school; not even now, when she was lying on her bed, preparing to sleep. Sitting on the chair he took from her study desk (pink and obviously too small for him), Nico listened patiently to his daughter's chatter.

"What did you draw?" asked he.

"Me, Papa, and Patty." Patricia, or Patty, was their cat.

"Why did you not put it on the fridge?"

Tania shook her head. "Didn’t bring it home. We put it on the classroom wall."

"So, no drawings for Papa?" Nico made a sad face.

"Nu-uh!" Tania giggled. "You can see it in my class tomorrow. Anyway, Papa, you have too many drawings already."

Nico thought there's no such thing as having too many drawings, even though their fridge was covered from top to bottom with her drawings, and Grace kept complaining that there was no place left on his desk for them.

"Miss Adri said I am really good at drawing," Tania said proudly.

"Yes, you are. Tania is very smart."

"Sure I am! Because I'm Papa's daughter and Papa is smart."

"Your Mama was very smart too." Nico caressed his daughter's soft brown hair. "She’s smart and pretty. Her hair and smile are just like yours."

Tania's big, brown eyes studied her father's face with all the pensiveness that a young child was capable of—which was a lot, so Nico had learned in the four years of fatherhood.

"Do you miss Mama?"

Nico had not expected this question, and before he could think, he found himself admitting, "I miss her every day."

"I miss her too today," Tania said quietly. "All my friends came to school with their mama."

There was only so much a parent could do to protect his child, but Nico still felt a sense of guilt.

"Did your friends ask about Mama?"

"Yeah. They asked, are you sad? I said no, because she's happy, right? And I have Papa, so it’s okay. And then Miss Adri said there are many kinds of families, and sometimes a family only has a mother and children, or a father and a child—like us, Papa!—but" —her brows furrowed as she tried to recall what her teacher said—"but it doesn't matter as long as everyone cares about each other."

"She’s right." Nico felt relieved. Tania had obviously taken to her teacher very quickly, and her Miss Adri seemed to really care about her students. He would not have to worry about Tania when she was in school. "Miss Adri sounds like a very good teacher."

"She is!" Tania said proudly. "She always says nice things about me.”

"Of course. Tania is nice and smart and pretty, just like Mama."

"Miss Adri is nice and smart and pretty too." Tania yawned.

"And you are very sleepy." Nico chuckled. "Now it's time to sleep so you can wake up on time for school."

Another yawn. "Night, Papa."

Nico kissed her cheeks.

"Good night, my princess."


End file.
